Royal Mail – Operating Methods for the Transport of Loaded & Empty RSCs, York Containers & Mini-York Containers in Royal Mail Vehicles: “Mandatory”

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

The Health, Safety & Environment Department has received a number of enquiries from Reps regarding the safe loading plan and transportation of Mini-Yorks and we are therefore circulating the Royal Mail “Mandatory” guidance on load control, loading plans and safety for containers on Royal Mail vehicles and trailers. This set of instructions supersedes all previous loading instructions and compliance with this Policy/Guidance is “Mandatory”.

This ‘Mandatory Guidance’ was produced ‘jointly’ by Royal Mail and the CWU, to ensure that a uniform method of load control is in existence throughout the transport sections within the Royal Mail business.

This Policy should be the definitive reference, but must also be considered when performing site specific Workplace and Yard Risk Assessments and following SSoWs.

Additionally, on all new curtain sided vehicles the strapping positions for York containers has been revised, whereby an additional cleat has been fitted and some extra eyes in the webbing. This has proved to be more secure than the existing method, especially in stop/start conditions or where there is a high frequency of sleeping policemen. It is available as a retro fit should the need arise.

Mini-Yorks are covered on pages 30-33.

Mk4 York Containers are on Page 34.

Only trained/instructed staff should operate dock levellers, tail lifts and mechanical handling equipment. Those not trained or instructed should not operate the equipment under any circumstances.

Under no circumstances must any Mechanical Handling Equipment be driven over Bridging Plates or Tail Lifts.

The contents are listed as follows:-

Page 4

Section 1

Operating Principles – Curtain Sided Vehicles

Page 5

Section 2

Operating Principles – Side loading of Curtain Sided Vehicles

Page 7

Section 3

Operating Principles – Box Vehicles

Page 8

Section 4

Load security diagrams RSCs & Yorks

Page 12

Section 5

Loading Methods – Yorks – Using a Dock Leveller – Fore & Aft method

Page 13

Section 5a

Loading Methods – Yorks – Using a tail lift-Block of 13 Method

Page 14

Section 6

Loading Methods – Yorks – using a tail lift

Page 15

Section 7

Loading Methods – Yorks – Latest Strapping Type

Page 16

Section 8

Load Security diagrams

Page 20

Section 9

Loading Methods – Mixed Loads

Page 20

Section 10

Mixed loads security diagrams

Page 22

Section 11

Moving empty Yorks

Page 23

Section 11.1

Loading 550cf~740cf vehicles using a Dock Leveller

Page 24

Section 11.2

Loading 550cf~740cf vehicles using a tail lift

Page 24

Section 11.3

Unloading 550cf~740cf vehicles using Dock Leveller

Page 25

Section 11.4

Unloading 550cf~740cf vehicles using a tail lift

Page 25

Section 11.5

Loading vehicles over 740cf using a dock leveller

Page 26

Section 11.6

Loading vehicles over 740cf using tail lift

Page 28

Section 11.7

Unloading vehicles over 740cf using a dock Leveller

Page 27

Section 11.8

Unloading vehicles over 1400cf using a tail lift

Page 27

Section 12

Nested Yorks security diagram

Page 28

Section 13

Vehicle Capacities

Pages 29-31

Section 14

Loading plan for Mini-Yorks (updated August 2015)

Page 32

Section 15

Mk 4 Parcel York Loading – Nested (updated Oct 2017)

Attachments:

Royal Mail – Operating Methods for the Transport of Loaded & Empty RSCs, York Containers & Mini-York Containers in Royal Mail Vehicles: “Mandatory”